Louis Roederer Champagne Tasting with Special Guest Eve Bordarier

Friday, November 22, 2019 - 07:30 PM

This Event has been read: 1695 times.

"Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully." Graham Greene

 

Champagne is my favorite wine and our biggest tasting of the year coming up next Friday night is already sold out with a waiting list.  The annual Champagne tasting is almost here but if you miss out on it don’t worry, we have another chance to come out and drink some great bubbles.  We will be partying like a rock star on Friday November 22nd at our Louis Roederer Champagne tasting featuring all the bubbles below which includes the 2008 Cristal and the price of this dinner is less than the cost of a single bottle of Cristal!

Join us as we welcome our good friend Eve Bordarier to the Wine Bar for a special evening of Louis Roederer Champagne including a five-course tasting menu.  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is only $225 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

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Louis Roederer Champagne Tasting with Special Guest Eve Bordarier
Friday, November 22, 2019
7:30 PM

Image result for Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne NV

Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne NV
Price: $45.00       Your Price: $39.60            Quantity in Stock: 10

Jean Baptiste has been the Chef Du Cave for over 20 years, pretty floral nuance and almond , 60% of the production of Cristal is organic but only 70% of the juice is estate in this cuvee, Louis Roederer one of the largest proponents of organic farming in France, Lemon and pear fruit with smooth creamy texture and chalky like mineral notes and that distinct mineral. Finish 45 Excellent

NV Louis Roederer Carte Blanche Champagne image

NV Louis Roederer Carte Blanche Champagne
Price: $67.50       Sale Price: $59.40

After the upheavals of the early 1900s, particularly the First World War that destroyed more than half of the Louis Roederer estate, Léon Olry Roederer reconstructed the vineyards. He decided to buy grapes to ensure the continuity of the House during this difficult period and, at the same time, created a multi-vintage wine that would have a consistent flavour, whatever the harvest year. The Carte Blanche cuvée—like Brut Premier—is produced from around 40% Pinot noir, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier, 5% of which is wine matured in oak tuns. It is aged for 3 years in Louis Roederer’s cellars and left for a minimum of 6 months after dégorgement (disgorging). Carte Blanche, which has more dosage added than Brut Premier, perfectly reflects the great tradition of demi-sec champagnes. Ample, creamy, with a refined and persistent acidity that gives it a very delicate freshness, this blend has ripe fruit notes with almost caramelized accents and a flavour of honey and ground almonds.

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NV Louis Roederer Brut Nature Champagne
Price: $102.25    Sale Price: $89.98

Cumières village. Years ago, our forefathers used to speak of "river wines", nourished by the terroirs of the Marne where the Pinots grow spirited and pure. The outstanding quality of these grapes as well as their dense juices and the generous, round character of the wines they produce have always made for distinctive champagnes. When bathed in the summer heat, some of these terroirs' cold clay soils express their character with strength and freshness, particularly in warmer years.
2009 was a continental and sunny year. These optimal conditions have permitted to reach a remarkable grape ripeness, and so to elaborate a dense, fruity and delicious Brut Nature.
All of the grapes from the various parcels were harvested on the same day - a "fruit day" on the lunar calendar. They were then pressed together, all at once, a technique used by our forefathers. The structure of the Pinot Noir, the ripeness of the Meunier and the floral character and lively acidity of the Chardonnay come together in a single, harmonious movement.
Brut Nature 2009 is first and foremost a wine, and then a champagne. It is impulsive and bright with a pleasant bitterness on the attack, delicate beads of mousse and a long, lingering finish.

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2010 Louis Roederer Blanc De Blanc Brut Champagne
Price: $90.00       Sale Price: $79.20
(92 points) The 2010 Louis Roederer Blanc de Blanc Brut Vintage is a lovely example of its year. Twenty percent of the vins clairs were barrel-fermented this year, with the wines not undergoing malolactic fermentation. After bottling, the wine spent five years aging sur latte prior to disgorgement and a finishing dosage of nine grams per liter, with the pressure in the bottle a bit lower than the other vintage-dated wines from the maison. The bouquet of the 2010 delivers a very refined aromatic constellation of apple, a touch of tangerine, fresh-baked bread, complex, limestone soil tones, a touch of almond, white flowers and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a good core, fine focus and grip, frothy mousse and a very long, brisk and well-balanced finish. At age seven, this is just starting to blossom, but I would suggest tucking it away for another three or four years in the cellar and allow its secondary layers of complexity to emerge. (Drink between 2020-2045) 92+  (3/2018) John Gilman

 

Image result for 2011 Louis Roederer Rose Brut Champagne

2011 Louis Roederer Rose Brut Champagne
Price: $75.00       Your Price: $66.00

The Roederer Estate Brut Rose is full and round with smooth flavors and fine persistent bubbles. The extra measure of Chardonnay contributes elegance and austerity, which balance nicely with the delicate fruitiness of the Pinot Noir.

2012 Louis Roederer Vintage Brut Champagne image
2012 Louis Roederer Vintage Brut Champagne
Price: $93.50       Your Price: $82.28            Quantity in Stock: 12

Golden yellow with soft amber tints. Very bright and gentle sparkle visible throughout the wine. The subtle bouquet, on the first nose, opens out gradually to reveal spring-like notes of fresh citrus fruit (lemon tree rather than lemon fruit) combined with warm, almost smoky, mineral aromas, followed by notes of lightly toasted almonds, one of the signs of the ageing in oak foudres.
The wine is wide, energetic and with talc-like chalkiness initially, gently coating the palate. It is both soft and rich with a full-bodied, silky mouthfeel. The finish is long and persistent.
The cuvée Vintage 2012 was bottle-aged for 4 years before being left to rest for a further 6 months after disgorging in order to attain perfect maturity. The dosage is 9 g/l.
Blend: 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay

Image result for 2008 louis roederer cristal brut champagne
2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne
Price: $300.00    Your Price: $264.00          Quantity in Stock: 30

(100 points) This latest incarnation of the famous brand is a superb wine. It is on par with, maybe even better than, the already legendary 2002. Its balance is impeccable: Apple and citrus flavors working with the tight minerality to give a textured yet fruity wine. Produced from Roederer's own vineyards which are mainly biodynamic, the wine has its own intense purity and crispness. It has amazing potential and is likely to age for many years. Drink from 2020. Wine Enthusiast

Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Shoestring Fries with white truffle oil and parmesan cheese
Baby potatoes filled with American Sturgeon Caviar and Crème fraiche
King Salmon Tartar with avocado, basil and lime
A5 Waygu Filet Mignon with Orange Soy Glaze
Crème brulee with fresh berries

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $225 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservation if you have any allergies or special requests on the menu and Chef Toni will be happy to accommodate you.

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A bit about Louis Roederer Champagne

Very little is known about the early days of the Louis Roederer Champagne House apart from the fact that the firm was founded in 1765 by a Monsieur Dubois and that it was owned and managed by a Monsieur Schrieder in the early 1800's.  In 1827 Schrieder asked his young eighteen year old nephew, Louis Roederer, to help him run the firm.  Schrieder was extremely impressed by the young man's ability; and when Schrieder, who had no sons, died in 1833, he left the business to Louis.  Louis Roederer wasted no time in giving the House his own name; he then set about to make the rather inconsequential firm of Louis Roederer a powerful name in Champagne.  The markets on which he concentrated were Russia, the United States, and Great Britain.  The Tsars and the aristocracy of Russia had an unquenchable thirst for Champagne, and up until the 1830's that country was the exclusive preserve of Veuve Clicquot, Moët, and Dom Ruinart.  By 1836 the Tsar himself was drinking Louis Roederer Champagne and sending his wine steward to Reims to taste the annual cuvées.  Shortly thereafter, the monarch's wine steward began to complain that there was nothing to distinguish the Louis Roederer Champagne served at the Tsar's table from the Louis Roederer Champagne consumed by his subjects.  Louis Roederer immediately arranged for special "Cristal" bottles to be made.  Although they were the same shape as the ordinary bottles, they were so strong that the punt (the "push-up" in the bottom of the bottle) could be eliminated - a feature particularly appreciated by the Tsars, for they always feared that terrorists could plant a bomb in the punt of a Champagne bottle.  The "Cristal" bottle became the exclusive Champagne of the Russian Court and the first of the great deluxe Champagnes such as Dom Pérignon etc. that are now produced in limited quantities by almost every Champagne House.  When Louis Roederer died in 1870, he had fulfilled the ambitions of his youth.  He was famous in Russia; his Champagne firm had grown from an annual production of 100,000 to two and half million bottles; and he was the third or fourth largest supplier of Champagne to the United States.

The fortunes of the House of Roederer took a disastrous downturn at the end of the Russian Revolution.  At the time of the outbreak of the First World War, almost three quarters of Roederer's production was being shipped to Russia.  The war and the ensuing Russian Revolution meant that little Champagne was going to Russia, and it nearly bankrupted the firm.  When the Revolution concluded, the communists, who were eager to destroy every last vestige of Tsarist influence and culture, declared that Champagne was too "bourgeois". Because of this new political attitude and because of the close link with the former Tsar, the importation of Louis Roederer Champagne to Russia ceased.  A catastrophe of this magnitude would probably have destroyed most businesses, but fortunately there was an appreciative and eager market in the United States, England, and Belgium.

During the thirties and forties, the firm was run by the colorful and determined Roederer widow, Madame Camille Orly-Roederer, who expanded the firm's holdings and reestablished Roederer's position as a powerful Champagne House.  She earned great respect from the male Champagne magnates for her business acumen and was the talk of the world social scene, as she was known to strut into gala parties larger than life and "dressed to the nines" in fabulous diamonds and Dior gowns...and order Roederer Champagne for everybody in the house!  It is interesting to note that the "new Tsars" of Russia may not consider Louis Roederer Champagne as bourgeois as Lenin once did.  When Brezhnev visited President Nixon in Washington in 1972, he wired ahead and requested that several well-chilled bottles of "Cristal" be placed in his stateroom prior to his arrival!!  We are sure that the new capitalist leaders of Russia will soon be toasting their successes once again with Roederer.

Today Louis Roederer supplies over 80% of its production from its own vineyards which are classified at an average rating of 95%. (All Champagne vineyards are quality rated from 80% to 100% by a special committee; very few vineyard areas get the top 100% (Grand Cru) rating.)  This is an enviable position to occupy, for most of the major Champagne firms have to purchase more than half their grape needs from independent growers and therefore do not exercise as much control over the growing process - an extremely important aspect.  The house style at Roederer - best exemplified by their superb non-vintage known as "Brut Premier" - is notably smooth, full-bodied, and mature.  Roederer also produces a non-vintage Rosé, a vintage Brut, an extra-dry, and of course the renowned luxury cuvée, "Cristal", and its fabulously expensive sibling "Cristal" Rosé. 

The rest of the Louis Roederer Champagne available at Wine Watch
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NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne 3 Liters
Price: $360.00    Sale Price: $316.80

Jean Baptiste has been the Chef Du Cave for over 20 years, pretty floral nuance and almond , 60% of the production of Cristal is organic but only 70% of the juice is estate in this cuvee, Louis Roederer one of the largest proponents of organic farming in France, Lemon and pear fruit with smooth creamy texture and chalky like mineral notes and that distinct mineral. Finish 45 Excellent

2007 Louis Roederer Blanc De Blanc Brut Champagne
Price: $100.50    Sale Price: $88.44             Quantity in Stock: 2

2007 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne
Price: $259.00    Your Price: $227.92          Quantity in Stock: 1

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2007 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose Brut Champagne
Price: $595.00    Your Price: $523.60          Quantity in Stock: 1

2009 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose Brut Champagne
Price: $666.00    Sale Price: $586.08

(97 Points) A wine of sublime delicacy and finesse, the 2009 Cristal Rosé is simply magnificent. The 2009 is surprisingly refined, silky and nuanced for a wine from a warm vintage. The red and floral-infused overtones are quite attractive, but it is the wine's exceptional balance that places it among the best new releases of the year. Over the years, I have had the chance to taste many vintages of Cristal Rosé, a Champagne that needs bottle age to be at its very best. I suspect that will be the case here as well. Don't miss it.  Vinous

 

1999 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne 3 Liter
Price: $3847.00  Sale Price: $2500.00         Quantity in Stock: 1

 

2002 Louis Roederer Cristal Special Edition Jeroboam image
2002 Louis Roederer Cristal Special Edition Jeroboam
Price: $25500.00                Sale Price: $19950.00      Quantity in Stock: 1

Luxury has always been a necessity for most of us but for those with a flair for the extraordinary, the cuvee Cristal 2002 should satiate. Luxury designer extraordinaire Philippe di Meo has teamed up with Champagne Louis Roederer to produce a limited edition Jeroboam design for the cuvee Cristal 2002. The appearance of the bottle itself screams luxury and one might as well imagine how luscious the inner content is going to be. In this day and age where appearance is everything, Cristal’s distinctive clear glass bottle encased in a lattice of 24-carat gold provides the ultimate in luxury wine tasting.

 Each bottle takes four days to create by two master goldsmiths and the result is described as being “inspired by the greatest traditions of jewellery.” The limited edition Jeroboam design for the cuvee Cristal 2002 is indeed a jewel in the real sense. A precious jewel to gift to someone special or even better, a gift of luxury to your own taste buds.
The best value in the domestic sparkling wine market!
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NV Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley
Price: $23.75       Your Price: $20.90            Quantity in Stock: 45
Roederer Estate Brut, the first California sparkling wine produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, builds upon a 200-year tradition of fine winemaking that has made Roederer champagne among the most sought-after in the world.
Roederer's winemaking style is based on two elements: ownership of its own vineyards and the addition of oak-aged reserve wines to each year's blend or cuvee. All the grapes for the Anderson Valley wines are grown on the Estate.
Each year, the winemaker selects a portion of the best wines for aging in Center of France oak casks. Aged from one to three years, wines from this reserve cellar are added to the blend, creating a multi-vintage cuvee in the traditional Roederer style, known for its body, finesse and depth of flavor.
The Roederer Estate Brut debuted in October 1988, and has since established its reputation as one of California's premier sparklers, remaining true to the heritage of excellence and style of its French forebears.
 (92 Points) Sleek and luxurious, with expressive Asian pear, strawberry blossom and roasted hazelnut flavors that build richness on an opulent finish.  #27 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018

Roederer Estate Rose Sparkling Wine Anderson Valley NV
Price: $28.50       Your Price: $25.08

The Roederer Estate Brut Rose is full and round with smooth flavors and fine persistent bubbles. The extra measure of Chardonnay contributes elegance and austerity, which balance nicely with the delicate fruitiness of the Pinot Noir.

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2011 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley
Price: $45.00       Your Price: $39.60            Quantity in Stock: 4

This wine is the marquee Tete De Cuvee bottling from Louis Roederer's domestic, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, aged for 5 years, this wine has a rich toasty biscuit like nutty aromas to the ripe tree fruit peach and candied lemon citrus. Wow, a very rich and layered wine on the tongue with silky smooth creamy bubbles, a good amount of that nutty and toasty biscuit like character through the finish, very rich and layered with more fruit than minerality but still has some minerality adding some pop to the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

2007 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Brut
Price: $49.00       Your Price: $43.12            Quantity in Stock: 2